Summary
Although he is approaching forty, Alain, a lawyer, lives a muddled life. Although
he is in a gay relationship with a much younger man, Christophe, he is attracted to women,
and they find him attractive. One day, he sleeps with a fellow lawyer, Laurence,
but it soon becomes clear that there is no mileage, or passion, in their relationship
- in spite of the fact that Laurence becomes pregnant as a consequence. To keep
up appearances, Laurence and Alain agree to marry, but Alain has by this stage fallen
in love with on of his clients, a convicted murder named Marc. Hoping to please
Marc, Alain agrees to try to persuade his girlfriend, Babette, to visit him in prison.
Things do not go as planned: Babette falls in love with Alain and Alain ends up having
to choose between the emotionally unstable Babette, his pregnant wife Laurence, and his
adoring gay lover Christophe...
Review
In spite of its convoluted and implausible plot, La Confusion des genres is an
engaging film which offers a perceptive and honest reflection on life, love and sexuality
in the kind of totally liberated society in which we now live. This intelligent
and well-structured film features a talented cast of actors, including Pascal Greggory
whose intense portrayal of the brooding Alain is to be particularly commended.
The way in which the film contrasts the attitudes of three different generations is interesting
and show how our society has evolved over the past few decades. Middle-aged Alain
is paralysed with indecision as to how he should live his life in the face of such choice.
By contrast, the lives of the previous generation and the next generation appear far more
straightforward. Alain’s parents were driven into marriage at an early age, by the
conventions of the day, whilst today’s young people merely live for the present and so
have no choice to make.
Few films treat issues such as bisexuality and ambivalence towards marriage with such
honesty, originality and sensitivity as this, and the characters in the film - however
bizarre their love lives - are convincing, well-developed individuals.
The film’s awkward use of comedy (such as the farcical wedding scene) slightly undermines
its serious side but does add to its sly Gallic charm, increasing its entertainment value.
© James Travers 2002
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